Summer Is an Ideal Time to Volunteer

Summer camps and summer school are not the only stimulating activities young people can do to have a productive summer. Another attractive option is to do volunteer work.

There's no shortage of opportunities nationwide to do charitable work, from food banks and clothing drives, to community emergency preparedness and health events. No matter what you choose, it's relatively easy to join a group of people working for a good cause.

Below you'll find some of the resources available, whether you are looking to join a charitable group, create your own volunteer project, or participate in long-term volunteer work.

How to Become a Volunteer

There are plenty of opportunities to do volunteer work, and Serve.gov is a great place to start your search. Serve.gov can help you:

Search for volunteer opportunities by topic of interest and geographical area

Learn about volunteer work available in your community

Get contact information for organizations seeking volunteers

Share your experience with others

How to Create Your Own Volunteer Project

You can also create your own volunteer project tailored to the needs of your community. This might be a good opportunity for parents and children to share a positive and stimulating activity.

Serve.gov has several toolkits to help you create a community campaign such as a food bank. The guides offer step-by-step instructions on how to build your own community project.

These toolkits can teach you how to:

Organize a book drive for low-income students who lack age-appropriate books

If you start your own project, you can also use Serve.gov to promote your initiative and to look for volunteers.

Long-Term Service Opportunities

For some, volunteering is a commitment that goes beyond the summer. There are federal programs that offer volunteer work both in the United States as well as in foreign countries:

AmeriCorps is a network of domestic volunteer programs that features full time volunteer work in different parts of the country. Here you'll find opportunities in the areas of urban and rural development, infrastructure improvement and emergency assistance.

Senior Corps connects people 55 and over with the people and organizations that need them most. They can become mentors, coaches or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations.

Peace Corps offers full-time volunteer work in other countries for periods of about 27 months. Volunteers get to work in different areas of interest and in several parts of the world.